Despite a small drop in overall alcohol consumption in 2018, spirits increased 1.9% by volume, per IWSR data. The sales increase was led by strong growth in tequila, up strongly at 8.5%, and whiskey.

Plentiful harvests and lower demand for grapes are likely to create a surplus in California's wine country, says Ciatti partner Glenn Proctor. As such, vintners are likely to cancel purchase contracts and either renegotiate grape prices or buy grapes on the spot market, Proctor says.

South African wine producers must "make every bottle of wine count" as brand ambassadors for the nation, said VinPro Chairman Anton Smuts. In South Africa, 14% of bulk white wine sells for a lower price than water, Smuts said.

The Urban Grape owner T.J. Douglas was motivated by "honest enthusiasm" to work in the wine industry, and he talks here about being black in the industry. An emphasis on inclusion, both in wines and race, can help the wine industry seem "more approachable, less scary," Douglas says.

ONEHOPE Wine supports charitable causes with every bottle sold and has raised more than $4 million for nonprofits so far. "People ultimately want to know that their dollars are doing something positive," says Chief Brand Officer Brandon Hall.

News that two private-equity firms will pay $700 million to acquire P.F. Chang's ranked among the top 10 most-read food-and-beverage stories this week, along with a tale of trendy CBD-infused food and drink. New product categories at Bob's Red Mill and Bush's topped this list.

Montana legislators are considering a bill that would substitute a competitive bidding process for the current lottery system used to issue liquor licenses. A permanent switch to the bidding process would likely increase revenue by between $2 million and $4 million compared with the lottery system in the long term.

Doing one-on-one meetings the right way, as the late Intel CEO Andy Grove taught, requires the employee to set an agenda ahead of time for the manager, meeting at regular intervals and the discussion of serious, potentially uncomfortable topics, writes Norman Wright. Effective one-on-ones can still occur using other tactics, Wright argues, as long as the purpose remains "mutual teaching and exchange of information," as Grove wrote.

Great teams understand the organizational vision and have created their own identity and values to complement the organization's, writes Focus One CEO Douglas Gerber in this book excerpt. "The sense of being part of something much bigger drives team members the extra mile," he writes.

WSWA and DSI present wholesaler members a program with Maxon offering significant savings when purchasing liftgates. Maxon offers the following to WSWA wholesaler members:

• Exclusive WSWA wholesaler member pricing on Maxon liftgates
• All liftgates purchased under this program include a no cost extended warranty of 3 years for parts and labor

To receive a customized quote contact DSI General Manager Ali Comeaux at 303-277-3359 or via email.